The 191.3 yards per game the Bears are conceding through the air makes them the NFL’s eighth-ranked pass defense. The Patriots have been a bottom-five pass offense this season, ranking worst with 153.8 passing yards per contest. On the defensive side of ...

And then there’s Drake Maye, the third pick in the draft and the Patriots’ greatest reason for hope amid a trying Year 1 of their rebuild. Maye has scored seven touchdowns, thrown four picks and led the Pats in rushing since he took over as the starter in Week 6.

While they’re unlikely to see each other often, Williams and Maye always will be linked as part of the epic 2024 quarterback class that saw an unprecedented six of them go in the top 12 picks.